JNU administration and students rejoiced over the improved rank of the varsity in the national rankings even as the student community slammed the delay in fellowships and other grants to the university.

The varsity has been ranked the second best university in the country under the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) as against last year's third rank, however, the varsity's rank in the 'Overall' category of educational institutions is sixth, in the national rankings released by the HRD ministry.

"JNU stands tall again with its focus on academic excellence. First among central universities," JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar tweeted.

The central university, which has been at the centre of controversies for over a year beginning with an event during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised, also bagged the Visitor's award for the Best University last month.

JNU Students Union President Mohit Pandey said, "we have been ranked among the best university but when it comes to funding UGC is continuously slashing it. Even fellowships have been delayed, seats have been reduced".

The JNU students and administration have been at loggerheads over various issues including a student going missing from campus, amendments in admission policy, massive seat cut in MPhil and PhD courses and the latest installation of CCTVs on campus.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar, who released the rankings today, reiterated that JNU has not been awarded for "pro-Afzal Guru slogans" but its academic credentials.

"JNU and Jadavpur University have not been awarded for their 'pro-Afzal Guru' slogans or for keeping their Vice Chancellor under siege but for their academic credentials and excellent research," he said.